The Worlds Next Genocide

I feel it is our responsibility to intervene and help in any way that we as a nation can. Catholic Social Teaching teaches us to help thy neighbor. If we sit back and do nothing I do not see how that is us helping. What is occurring in Syria largely resembles that which occurred in Rwanda in the beginning. Unlike the Rwanda Genocide, this time I feel it is important and necessary that we intervene and offer our assistance to the Alawites as best we can. Another Genocide is not what this world needs, we need to come together and help each other. Personally I do not think CST is a guide on a national level when making decisions. I believe that when making decisions we often think of what will benefit us in the long run, which is sad and not right. Of course I dont believe this is the case all the time, but for the most part I think we are a world of selfish people who are willing to get their hands dirty only when they get something out of it. We should be using CST as a guideline when making decisions because it is right and just. I believe it is possible to us CST as a guide as individuals and as a nation. I think it would take immense effort at first, to remind ourselves of what CST tells us to do and how to act, but i do believe it is possible. I think it has to start with individuals, however, before it can spread to the nation.

Silence Begets Violence?

The tragedy that struck Connecticut has been felt not only in Newtown but everywhere around the world. People everywhere are sharing their sympathy and compassion with those who are suffering due to the actions taken that day. I feel we as a whole nation feel compelled to respond to this tragedy immediately due to the severity and horror of it all. I can say with confidence that if this same tragedy had happened to adults or teenagers, everyone would still share the same sympathy and feel the need to help in whatever way they can. However, the fact that they were children makes matters that much worse. We cannot wrap our minds around how it is possible for a human being to commit such a crime on such innocent lives. This has created such a direct call to action because it deserves one. The topics such as video games, gun control, and mental health treatment would not have been brought up to the severity that it has because of this event. Whether I believe in stricter gun control laws or banned video games, to me, is not the important issue and not what we as a society should be doing to help. We should be offering our services to anyone who needs it. We should be giving our love and sympathy and support to all those effected by it. It's hard to say where we should go from this without putting personal preferences into the matter, however, i do believe that if we all simply turned off the news and the media and stopped centering these events around the killers, it would prove more beneficial in the end. We would know the names of the victims, not the names of the murderers. We wouldn't be broadcasting the event so some other mentally unstable person could go and "top it." Their will always be problems and tragedies in the world, however we can help to lessen them.

Factory Fire

I think this is a tragic occurrence that could have easily been avoided, had the factory had the proper fire precautions. Perhaps if they did, 112 families would not be grieving the loss of their loved ones. Personally, I do not think it is the responsibility of the costumer to know where our products are made, however I do think it is the responsibility of the government and the corporation. I believe that they should know not only where the products come from, but the working conditions these workers have to endure everyday, and also the safety measures the factory itself has. Just because I do not think it is our responsibility to know, doesn't mean I think we should be oblivious to it. This is not exactly related to safety conditions, but my grandmother checks the labels of everything she buys to ensure that it was not made in china due to the fact that jobs are being lost because of all the imports and money spent on items not made in the US. It is of course not her responsibility to know where these items are made, however she is aware of the issue and takes actions to help prevent it. This is how it should be with the products that come from unsafe warehouses. We as a whole should all be aware of the products and/or companies that have items made in factories that promote unsafe working conditions and unfair treatment to workers. This way, perhaps the issue is less likely to continue.

Radical Forgiveness

Forgiveness is probably one of the hardest things to do, in my opinion. It is much easier to hate and hold a grudge against someone who has done you wrong. Yet I think it is very important to forgive to show to yourself, and to your wrongdoer, that you can move on. In this instance, Pope John Paul II went above and beyond when he forgave the man who shot him six times. Honestly, I'm not a perfect person and if someone had tried to kill me I don't think I would be capable of sitting down with that person and talking to them, showing my forgiveness. It takes someone with a lot of faith in the Lord and humanity itself to do such an act. To sit down and look the person in the eye who tried to kill you, and say that you forgive them. If I'm being honest, I dont think I would be able to do it. This relates to Immaculee's story because she did almost the same thing as Pope John Paul II. She met the man who killed her own brother, and told him that she forgave him. I said earlier that I would never be capable of sitting down with someone who tried to kill me and tell them I forgave them. It would be even harder for me to do that to a person who killed one of my family members. In a world full of hatred and violence, Immaculee and Pope John Paul II find it in themselves to make peace rather than succumb to the violence.

The Messy World

When I hear about immense suffering in the world it pulls on my heart strings, as I'm sure it does with many other people as well. Of course my first thought is to find someway to help them, whether it be to donate or to simply raise awareness. However, I'm ashamed to admit more times than not I do not do anything to help. Although my first thought is to help in any way possible, the situation is soon forgotten and in the past before I have the chance to do anything about it. When a friend is in need of my help though, it is easier to help because for one I have the ability to see them everyday and I know how to help them. I think the Gospel tells us that we should do anything that we can to help them whether small or big, anything would help. We can support this by simply caring more about other people in the world and not just about people you know. I'm not saying that everyone is selfish but in my opinion, people are more prone to jump at the opportunity to help when they know the person they are helping. If we all began to care for those people who we don't now, if we all began to put ourselves in the places of those people maybe we would all be more willing to do something about it.

Global Solidarity

I think that it is our job, simply as human beings, to help and support those women who are abused and taken advantage of. Unfortunately, it is not an uncommon thing anymore which is terribly sad and should be stopped. I think that in this specific case, it is mind boggling to hear that the mother-in-law of this girl was the one who was pushing her towards prostitution and then killed her because she refused. If solidarity means that we are all one family and part of the same world and should help each other and treat each other with respect, then we should be doing something to help and support these women. It is sad when girls live in fear of becoming victims of such violent crimes yet no one is there to help them. Thousands of people come together to raise awareness and money and support for natural disasters such as hurricanes and tsunami's, so why should this be any different. Perhaps money is not necessary but women definitely need help and protection and i think we should be helping to provide that.

Resolutions

I think that Bishop Ricken has some very insightful thoughts on new resolutions and i agree with many of them. If i had to write down five resolutions of my own for a year of faith, my first would be to be kind and compassionate and caring to everyone around me. It is important to be seen as an object of sincerity to others and know they always have someone there for them and i would like to be that person. My second resolution would be to participate in more volunteer work. I would very much like to be more involved with our schools CSC program and help those who are in need or less fortunate. My third resolution would be attempt to attend mass more often. I am not very vigilant when it comes to attending mass and a strong resolution of mine is to change that. My fourth resolution would be to insinuate solidarity among my friends and my family, meaning creating closer relationships between one another. My final resolution would be to hold true to my faith. It is hard, especially when going through rough patches in life, to hold true to one's faith which is why i want to make it a resolution to always stay true to it. Even if I am faced with difficulties, it is important that i remember who i am and what i believe.